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Bill > SB429

WI SB429

WI SB429
Prohibiting possessing a firearm on college and university campuses and providing a penalty.

summary

Introduced
09/29/2025
In Committee
09/29/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead

Introduced Session

2025-2026 Regular Session

Bill Summary

Current law prohibits a person from carrying a firearm in a building owned or leased by the state or a political subdivision of the state. A person who violates the prohibition is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. The prohibition does not apply to a person who has a license to carry a concealed weapon. Current law allows a university or college to post notice on a building to prevent a person from entering it while carrying a firearm. A person, including a licensee, who carries a firearm into a posted building is guilty of trespassing and is subject to a Class B forfeiture, which is a forfeiture not to exceed $1,000. This bill eliminates the trespassing provision and prohibits a person from possessing a firearm in a publicly or privately owned building on a university or college campus or on the grounds of or land owned or occupied by a university or college. A person who violates the prohibition is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. LRB-0470/1 CMH:emw 2025 - 2026 Legislature SENATE BILL 429 The prohibition does not apply to a law enforcement officer or military personnel in the line of duty, a person who leases residential space (not including a dormitory or part of a residence hall) or business space on the campus if the person is in the space, a participant who possesses the firearm for use in a program approved by the university or college, a person who possesses the firearm in accordance with a contract entered into between the university or college and the person or his or her employer, or a person who possesses a firearm that is unloaded and encased. Because this bill creates a new crime or revises a penalty for an existing crime, the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties may be requested to prepare a report.

AI Summary

This bill proposes to prohibit possessing firearms on college and university campuses in Wisconsin, creating a new criminal offense that would be classified as a Class A misdemeanor. The legislation establishes specific restrictions on firearm possession in and around university and college properties, with several important exceptions. Individuals who are exempt from these restrictions include law enforcement officers, military personnel on duty, people who lease residential or business premises on campus, those participating in approved university programs, and individuals with specific contractual arrangements. The bill also allows for unloaded firearms that are either properly encased or stored in a locked rack on a motor vehicle. Violations of this new law would result in potential legal penalties, including the possibility of a Class A misdemeanor charge, which typically carries potential fines and/or jail time. The bill amends multiple existing statutes to integrate this new firearm restriction, ensuring that campus firearm prohibitions are consistently referenced across different sections of Wisconsin's legal code. By creating section 941.236, the legislature aims to enhance safety on educational campuses by limiting firearm presence in these environments.

Committee Categories

Business and Industry

Sponsors (35)

Last Action

Representative J. Jacobson added as a cosponsor (on 10/21/2025)
(1 Companion Bills)

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